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Cultural plan presented

Summerland’s Cultural Plan is now available for the public to read and review.
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Members of Summerland’s Cultural Plan Task Force presented the plan on Saturday. The plan

Summerland’s Cultural Plan is now available for the public to read and review.

The plan, compiled by the municipality’s Cultural Plan Task Force, was presented on Saturday, at an open house of a new arts and culture space.

The task force members were appointed on April 13, 2015 and spent months holding discussions and public input meetings. More than 2,300 comments were received from the community.

The plan is available on the municipality’s website at summerland.ca. Printed copies of the 44-page plan are also available at the arts centre and at municipal hall.

The colourful, glossy report includes an overview of Summerland’s cultural values, information of five strategic directions, the implementation process and a list of cultural resources within the community.

The design cost for the report was $1,375 and the printing costs for the 90 copies of the report came to $1,166.

The five strategic directions listed in the report are:

o Reflect Summerland’s cultural values in municipal decisions and projects.

o Establish an administrative framework to support the arts, heritage and culture.

o Enhance public spaces and cultural places.

o Build on community strengths and assets.

o Connect the community.

Betty Ann Xenis, one of the members of the task force, said the group has been disbanded now that the plan has been completed.

“Members are looking forward as the policies are adopted by council,” she said. “We are looking forward to the next steps.”

Dan Dinsmore, another committee member, said the process was long and difficult at times.

“The outcome is this report that we are all comfortable and happy with,” he said.

Kayleigh Hall, community development coordinator for the municipality, said the municipality is committed to supporting arts and culture in Summerland.

“The district, in adopting the cultural plan, is demonstrating it is very supportive of culture,” she said.

The plan was presented at the same time as an arts and cultural space was opened in the former library building on Wharton Street.

Susan Scott, treasurer of the Summerland Arts Council, said she hopes to see many more events held in the space in the future.

Hall said the facility is to be a collaborative, multi-use space.

 



John Arendt

About the Author: John Arendt

John Arendt has worked as a journalist for more than 30 years. He has a Bachelor of Applied Arts in Journalism degree from Ryerson Polytechnical Institute.
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